GG was immersed in a Pixar movie in the master bedroom, quietly sucking her thumb, barely able to mumble “goodbye” after the long day around so many people. Casey didn’t want to come off emotional and opted to leave her in peace, glancing sadly over her shoulder before closing the door.
As she positioned herself in the front seat of Sam’s truck trying to get comfortable with the large boot on her leg, she turned her head and looked at him as he clipped his seatbelt at his hip.
“What is it darlin’?” he asked.
Swallowing a lump in her throat, she hesitated before she answered him. “I want you to take me by my apartment.”
“What?” His eyes were wide.
“I want you to take me by my apartment. Beth told me most of it has been packed up in boxes, but I need to find something really important to me.”
“It can’t wait? The movers will be bringing it all over to the farm in the next week.”
“No. I really need it as soon as possible.”
Sam sighed and nodded turning the key into the ignition. He and Beth had made arrangements for the apartment to be packed up by a moving crew and the stuff brought to his property. He insisted he didn’t want Casey going through everything at the place where her sister had died, adamant this was best for her and GG. Her request to go there in the midst of the pack disturbed him and caught him off guard.
Several minutes later, Sam punched in a code and they waited for the large security gates of the apartment complex to open. Scanning the wrought iron entrance, Casey’s eyes went wide with trepidation. The gates were for safety measures and looked like they could keep out the bad guy and protect a family, but she knew better. Nothing could protect anyone, ever.
It was already dark outside, the cold autumn evening still and gloomy. He helped her out of the truck and they walked in silence across the parking lot to the stairwell. Casey stood at the bottom hesitating to take the first step toward the last place her sister was alive in the home they shared. Sam held her by the elbow and helped her slowly up each step, not saying a word. When they got to the door, a torn piece of yellow police tape still hung from the door frame, evidence of what had happened less than a week ago.
“Are you sure you want to go in? I can go in for you and find whatever it is you’re looking for,” Sam offered uneasily.
Casey was trying to keep it together taking in quick breaths through her nose. “No, I need to do this.”
Turning the single key into the lock, she slowly opened the door and was greeted immediately with the heavy smell of cleaning products. Her hand automatically hit the light switch plate and the entryway illuminated. The entire living area was already boxed up and labeled. A couple of tape guns were placed on top of closed boxes, and another stack of cardboard needing to be assembled leaned against the wall under the window sill. Casey walked to the center of the room and looked around while Sam stayed by the front door, closing it behind him. She was thankful there was no sign of their nosey neighbor, Mrs. Donovan, and her little dog, Beth telling her the elderly woman retreated to her daughter’s home in Macon, Georgia after the murder.
With her sister’s bedroom on the forefront of her mind, she swallowed hard, peering at each box to read the labels as tears welled in her eyes making her vision fuzzy. When she couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for, she started down the hallway toward the bedrooms, pausing in front of the galley kitchen entrance. Flicking on the lights, she was taken aback by what she saw. The entire room appeared cleaned out and the linoleum floor pried up leaving the subfloor exposed. The back wall was also demolished, the studs making the small room look like it was under construction or a home renovation.
The police had told Casey her sister died from a fatal wound caused by a drinking glass being slammed against her, the large shards piercing her neck and severing her carotid artery. The authorities weren’t sure why, but there had obviously been some sort of confrontation. In the autopsy of Donny Tanner it was discovered he had sustained a stab wound from a butcher knife. Through the forensic investigation, Laura’s fingerprints were found on the handle of the knife. Casey couldn’t fathom her sister in such a desperate situation, the not knowing what exactly happened filling her with angst. Her mind reeled and she suddenly felt like she might pass out. Panting, she felt Sam’s hand on her shoulder in an instant.
“Let me get you out of here, sweetheart. You shouldn’t be in here. We have people taking care of your things. Please, let’s go.”
Casey shook her head and shrugged off his hand, determined to go in her sister’s bedroom. Standing in the doorway, she took it all in. The bed had been disassembled and the mattresses were gone. Several boxes were packed up with various descriptions written in sharpie on the outside; shoes, clothing, pictures… Pictures.
Falling on her knees, she tore open the box pulling crumpled up packing paper from the top, ripping into the carefully wrapped frames one at a time. Sam watched from the doorway, his face displaying unease. As she pulled each frame out along with several knick-knacks, she tore the paper into shreds becoming more and more desperate to find what she was looking for. Frantic, she dumped the whole box onto the floor sifting through it as if her life depended on it. Sam came to her side and silently helped her rip the paper off each item, quickly showing her each item he uncovered. In the middle of the room among the ripped up bits of paper and the empty box, she finally sat back on her heels and caressed a five by seven framed photo.
“This is it. This is what I was looking for,” she whispered softly. Tears ran freely down her cheeks as a small smile blossomed across her face. In the photo, Casey held a small bouquet of flowers with Laura’s arm draped across her shoulders. The looks on their faces held pure joy. Passing the frame to Sam, he smiled looking down at the picture. He put his arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Can you tell me about this moment?” he asked quietly.
Taking the frame back into her hands, she caressed the image of the smile on her sister’s lips. “This is me and Laura backstage after my first professional singing gig. I was real young, a few months after our parents died. That night was the first time Laura ever told me how proud she was of me.” Her speech caught in her throat. “As long as I can remember, she kept this photo on her bedside table. She once told me that every night before she went to sleep she’d look at it and it always made her smile after a long, hard day. She said she always knew I’d be successful with my talent and she was proud to be there, supporting me from day one. She believed in me….”
Sam nodded and they continued to look at the photo, lost in the moment, the essence of Laura evident in the space where she took her last breath.
For the first time all week, Casey felt a certain peace wash over her, calming the frayed edges of her nerves and emotions. The picture was tangible evidence in her mind that Laura believed in her, even now. If she believed in her, perhaps she’d be able to move on with her life. Finding the picture was a sign from Laura that everything was going to be all right.
“I’m ready to go now,” she murmured quietly. Sam helped her up and they walked out of the room. Taking one last glance over her shoulder, she clutched the frame to her chest.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The house was cold and quiet when they entered the mudroom, the only sound coming from their footsteps and the rap of Casey’s cane as she shuffled across the wood floor. She collapsed on the couch while Sam turned on several lamps and fed a ravenous Bleu who was happy as ever to see his master. When he joined her, he pulled off his dress shoes, which landed on the floor with a loud thump.
“Can I get you anything? You want a cold beer?” he asked.
“No, Sam. I’m not ever drinking again.”
“What?”
She sat up and rubbed her temple which was starting to throb. “I’m not going to be that person anymore. It screws everything up. It’s not who I want to be.”
A look of confusion paled Sam’s fac
e. “What are you talking about? You got drunk this past week because you were under some serious duress. Nobody blames you for that, including me, darlin’.”
She shook her head. “You don’t understand. I drank. A lot. My sister was always concerned about it and asked me to stop on more than one occasion. I always laughed it off and told her it was part of the ‘rock ‘n roll lifestyle.’ She was so worried some random guy was going to take advantage of me if I got out of control.” She paused and looked purposefully into his blue eyes. “Do you remember the night after our first gig together, Sam?”
His face softened. “Yes….”
“Do remember how shitfaced I was and how you and Rocky had to put me to bed in the hotel room?”
“Casey, I’m to blame for that night just as much as you. We were egging each other on, remember? A couple of nights of drinking doesn’t make you an alcoholic.”
She paused and mulled over his remark. “That wasn’t one of my finer moments. I’m mortified you’ve seen me like that more than once. And the other day when I left GG all alone…. Sam, if anything had happened to her, I don’t know what I would’ve done.” They both sat in the quiet of the moment letting the reality of her comment settle. “Can you help me not do that anymore? I want to make Laura proud, wherever she is,” she whispered.
His blue eyes drew her in with comfort, and he smiled. “Of course, darlin’.”
Several minutes later, Casey stood in front of the sink, looking at herself in the mirror after brushing her teeth. Pulling her hair out of her ponytail, she finger combed it, letting it cascade around her shoulders. Limping across the bathroom with one bare foot and the boot on the other, she opened the door and noticed a shirtless Sam propped up against a bank of pillows with his glasses on, reading from his iPad.
“Do you need any help?”
“No. I’ve got it.” Shuffling carefully to her side of the bed, she sat on the edge and contemplated getting under the covers. It would be so easy to go straight to sleep, exhausted by the chaos of emotions she’d struggled through in the past week. But the love song between her and Sam was a constant ringing in her ears. The man had done so much for her and GG, continually amazing her with his strength and care every day they were together. Without a doubt, she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her days with Sam Wildner.
Slowly, she peeled her nightgown up and over her head tossing it to the end of the bed and demurely looked over her shoulder to catch his attention.
“What are you doing?” he asked quietly. He reached across the bed to touch the bare skin on her back sending a tingling sensation down her spine.
“Nothing.” She blushed.
Setting his glasses and iPad on the bedside table, he moved to her, pressing his chest against her back and reaching around to cup her exposed breasts. When he gathered her long hair to the side and started to kiss the crevice of her neck, she sighed.
“I love you, Sam,” she murmured.
“I love you too,” he whispered back with warm breath skating over the shell of her ear. Turning her to the side, he cradled her in his arms, kissing her tenderly on the mouth. She gripped his torso before one hand traveled down his chest to the hardness in his pajama pants. She fingered her way under the elastic waistband and stroked his penis up and down causing him to tense.
“Oh, God. I’ve missed you, darlin’,” he mumbled making a tiny trail of kisses down to her breast, pausing to suck her erect nipple.
Inhaling a swift breath, Casey finally allowed herself to relax and enjoy pleasure for the first time in a long while. He lay her on the mattress and pulled her panties down, which briefly caught on the boot before he tossed them across the room. His hand found her sweet spot, making her pant with want. His movements were careful as he steered clear of her injured ankle, and when he straddled her, he slowly sank into her wet folds, his hardness deep and penetrating. Their lovemaking was slow and intentional, their emotions for each other evident in the sweet, delicious climax they experienced together. Sam’s warmth spilled into her as she clung to him, their bodies united in a crescendo of passion. He was her rescuer. He was her soul mate. He was her love song.
***
Since Laura’s funeral, time seemed to pass quickly. Sam immersed himself in his work at the school, preparing his marching band students for the upcoming homecoming game. It was the final hurrah of the football season and for him, a labor of love, in more ways than one. He insisted Casey, GG and the rest of his family experience game night and cheer the mighty Bulldogs to victory. It would also be good for the girls to have a change of scenery since settling into their new life at the Wildner farm
A moving van delivered several boxes and a few pieces of furniture, unloading them into the barn where Casey could go through them at her own pace. She decided to rent a storage unit for most of the other furniture, kitchenware and Laura’s clothing until she could figure out her next steps. Sam assured her the farm was her and GG’s home now and was patient and devoted, allowing her to do things at her own pace while she still recovered physically and emotionally. The movers carried her cumbersome, heavy, antique vanity into the master bedroom where they shifted a few other pieces to accommodate the large furniture. The toy box Laura hand painted for GG before she was born was also brought up into the little girl’s new room, both of the beautiful pieces looking like they had always belonged in the ancient farmhouse among the other gorgeous antiques.
For several nights, after Gwyneth went to bed, Sam helped Casey go through Laura’s personal papers and stumbled upon her last will and testament in a filing cabinet. The papers were dated the same month they’d gotten the restraining order against Donny Tanner, and specifically named Casey the guardian of Laura’s daughter, Gwyneth Kylie, in the event anything should happen to her. Laura also specified her only sister receive all proceeds from a two hundred-fifty-thousand-dollar life insurance policy and any money from her teacher’s pension she accumulated in the past fifteen years. Casey was overwhelmed with the attention to detail her sister managed, taking care of her and GG even after her death. With the new-found wealth she inherited, she was determined to do everything humanly possible to make sure Gwyneth was well taken care of. A meeting with an estate attorney was scheduled to finalize the paperwork, Casey innately aware of the huge responsibility riding on her shoulders being her niece’s legal guardian. There were no setbacks involving Donny Tanner’s estranged family either, allowing her and Gwyneth to move on with their lives, much to her relief. The Tanner family was more fearful of her filing a wrongful death suit against them and were more than happy to give up all rights to Gwyneth and any physical possessions they might have pursued, knowing no such lawsuit would be filed as long as they cooperated.
Her niece was a trooper, carrying most of her own toys up the steep stairs into her new bedroom and arranging them all by herself. She didn’t want her “baby bed” anymore, wanting to keep the original twin beds in the room in case Chloe or Dylan spent the night. Because Laura was a teacher, reading was very important, which reflected in the many boxes of books GG had. John Dukes volunteered to build her a quaint little bookshelf, painting it a Pepto-Bismol pink, much to her delight, and she spent hours organizing her books one by one on the shiny, new shelves, distracted many times, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room looking through the colorful pages.
Sam read to her every night before she went to bed, and every night she would fall asleep across his chest, making it his favorite time of the day. In the mornings, they’d sit around the breakfast table where all three of them would talk excitedly about their upcoming day. They would eat cereal or waffles together and Casey would make her famous peanut butter and jelly sandwich, packing it in a brown bag for him to take to school. He’d go to work and Casey would either run errands with GG or drop her off with John Dukes for the day while she went to her physical therapy appointments near the downtown area.
With the holidays approaching, she wasn’t ready to go back to h
er temp agency, and her gig schedule with the band didn’t start back up until after the New Year in New York for convention season. It would be Christmas week before she’d be rid of the cumbersome boot on her ankle and she figured they’d have plenty of time after the holidays to find GG a new pre-school closer to the farm.
Sam and Casey started to worry about GG when she started to complain every afternoon about having a tummy ache. She hadn’t been eating anything out of the ordinary, nor had she been around many children where she could have picked up a stomach virus. They spent a few lazy afternoons snuggled on the couch watching Disney movies and sipping on ginger ale. Sam seemed to think this was GG’s way of coping with the emotional trauma of losing her mother, not able to understand what happened, the tummy aches a manifestation of her confusing feelings. Once she had some of her personal belongings back in her own special bedroom, the little girl seemed to bounce back and thrive in her new environment.
Casey dealt with grief in her own way. Sam knew she liked to take long walks to the river, using her cane with Bleu by her side where she would sit silently on the rocks overlooking the water. The sweet canine seemed to sense her sorrow on those days and wouldn’t leave her side, even after they’d get home. Her phone still had a few voice mails archived from Laura which she didn’t have the heart to erase and she would often listen to them over and over by herself somewhere private where no one would have to hear her cry. The week after the funeral, she had several nightmares—vivid recollections of Donny’s blood-splattered face and him pointing the gun at her and firing. She would wake with a start, covered in sweat, trying to catch her breath. Looking at the framed photo of her and Laura on the bedside table would eventually calm her, the smile on her sister’s face the last image she would see before she would fall back asleep.
Each day it took effort to move forward. Every action, every vocalization, intentional and deliberate. Casey didn’t know how long the ache in her entire body would last. Perhaps it would never go away. But she knew her future was bright because her sister, Laura, wherever she was, believed in her and was counting on her to be strong.
Love Song: A friends-to-lovers rock & roll romantic suspense Page 17
